Anniversary
by QuiFruiturFabulis
Summary: Chihiro still thinks of Haku often. She told him she wouldn't look back, and she's kept her promise. Will he keep his?5 years later, she's still waiting, and after a series of strange events, some enexpected events begin to unfold.


**Anniversary**

Chihiro walked quietly through the woods near her house. Her thoughts were filled with distant memories of 5 years ago, being trapped in the spirit world's most famous bath house. Today was the five year anniversary of her escape, the anniversary of when she had to say goodbye. She had kept her promise to Haku; she never looked back, never went back. Over the years, her memories faded and dimmed, but what she felt those long weeks, those feelings never went away. _He promised_, She thought, _he promised we'd see each other again_. Yes, she still remembered his promise. As each year passed, his promise seemed to fade, along with her memories. Though commons sense told her she would probably never see him again, deep down she still hoped.

Chihiro continued reminiscing as she glided in and out of the trees that formed the small forest by her home. The wind was whispering through the branches above, and the birds sang their soulful melodies. The sweater she held in her hand blew gently as the wind did. Mind preoccupied with her thoughts and memories, she wandered off the well-trodden path, the path she normally walked, and became immersed in an unknown section of wood.

Chihiro tripped over the root of a tree, coming to her senses. Looking around, she realized that her feet had been leading her, not her brain, as she had no idea where she was. The wind had picked up, and she could feel the cool breeze tickle her skin, causing shivers. She had been lost in these woods before, so the prospect of not knowing her location did not bother her too much. _I'd better figure out how to get back home before I get even more lost. Besides, some hiking ought to warm me up_ Thought Chihiro.

She wandered in and out of trees, winding her way to a path she saw shortly ahead. She climbed past one last tree root and stepped onto a dirt road, which had long since been used. Grass and weeds were starting to grow in the two parallel tracks make by tires, and hikers. As she observed her current location, Chihiro was overcome by an overwhelming sense of Déjà vu.

_This place…_ She thought _it feels so familiar, as if from a distant dream. _She looked to her right, just as the wind blew another powerful gust.

_It's pulling me in that direction she thought_. Somehow the wind felt familiar, as if it were a friend from long ago. Following her instincts, she walked right. Once again, she fell back into her thoughts. She missed her friends from the bath house so terribly, most of all Haku; when she felt alone or afraid, he gave her hope. She didn't notice the short, two faced statue until she had run into it.

"Ow!" she shouted, as she backed up a few paces to take in the scene before her. There was a short, moss covered two-faced statue, and behind the statue was a red archway. Her eyes widened with the recognition, and her sweater fell from her arms. _What… How…?_

The wind blew another strong breeze at her, and her sweater went flying off into the trees. _No, I need that! _She thought, and after a moments pause to collect herself, went running after it, glad to have a distraction from this strange set of coincidences. Her sweater had been caught in a tree, out of view of the clearing containing the statue. She walked back to the clearing, head spinning with the strange occurrences of the afternoon. She looked at the archway, which had led her to meet so many friends she came to dearly care for; that had led her to meet a friend she came to love. She had promised herself she would never some back to this place. She told him she wouldn't look back. A silent tear rolled down her cheek.

Suddenly, she heard a rustling from the trees to her left. A boy with dark shoulder length hair and startling blue-green eyes walked out from beneath the shade of the trees. She had not noticed him upon re-entering the clearing. It felt as if her heart had stopped beating. She could never forget his face.

He walked closer towards her. His features had matured; His face was more angular, and he was taller. To the untrained eye, his face would seem impassive and vague, perhaps even cold; but she knew him, and his eyes betrayed it all. He stood two feet away, a small, gentle smile creeping upon his face. She remained where she stood, purely out of shock. Her sweater fell to the ground again; the small tear that had trailed down her cheek earlier left a path in its wake, shining in the sunlight. He noticed

"Chihiro, don't cry, it's alright"

As he said this another tear rolled down her face, but this time from happiness. He began to close the gap between them, but Chihiro stepped forward, and wrapped her arms around him, and he did the same in return. She fit perfectly, and held him tightly. Her voice was hoarse.

"Haku, I missed you so much."

He rested his cheek on her head. "I know," he said softly, "I missed you too."

They stood like that for a long time. She didn't want to part, it felt so… safe with him. He was her guardian angel.

When they finally did part, she didn't want to look at him. She felt awkward. She wanted to say something, find out what happened after she left, but was afraid of what would come out of her mouth.

"I can't stay very long," He said, finally breaking the silence that stretched between them. At this, she brought her head up to meet his eyes. There was a gentle sadness there.

"Why?" She said, with a disappointed, whiny tone, reminiscent of her childhood She had not really thought of what would happen when they separated. He smiled softly, and grabbed her hands in his.

"I cannot stay because I will disappear. I was not able to come before, as I had no claim to the human world. My river, my home, was gone. Now, my river is being restored, but it is not yet finished. If I stay, I will begin to fade, and eventually disappear; but I made a promise to you, that we would see each other again"

Chihiro smiled faintly, and looked downward. She saw his hands beginning to turn transparent. _He needs to go back! He's beginning to fade already! _She looked up in alarm. He gave a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry; I still have some time here" he said, "I will come back, but I can't, at least, not for a while"

She was saddened by this news, but the fact that he would be coming back lifted her spirits slightly. She looked back down at his fading hands.

"You still have the hair tie" He said. She looked up and nodded, "Mm-hmm." He had a distant look in his eyes, and it worried her. "Haku, what's wrong?"

His eyes refocused to look into hers. There was something there she couldn't quite place; it was strong and powerful, and fierce, yet comforting. They stayed that way for a while. When they finally broke apart, Chihiro noticed how his face was beginning to fade as well. _This must be what I looked like when he found me_ She thought. Haku noticed too. "I need to go back soon" he said with a trace of disappointment. _He sounds slightly disappointed, but in what? And why?_ Chihiro thought. Her brain began to work faster now, with the realization of limited time left together. "What happened after I left?" She asked quickly, "How are granny, and no-face, and kamaji? What about boh and lin? How have you been?" she spilled out in a rush.

Haku laughed, "They're all fine. Boh Visits Zeniba and no-face all the time now, Kamaji is still in the boiler room, but you inspired lin to lead a bath-house uprising, forcing Yubaba to agree to treat everyone with more respect, pay higher salaries, and use less spells on the staff." He smiled at the memory. Haku had creatively avoided one question, though. Chihiro gave him an accusing, yet playful look, and said, "Well, what about you?"

He paused, with a somewhat cautious air, and turned his head to the side. _Why the sudden change_? Thought chihiro. She asked the question for a second time, "Haku, what's wrong?" He looked her in the eyes. That strange, deep look she had noticed earlier was again, there, in his eyes. It mad her shiver. He looked down at their connected hands, felt her hands quiver momentarily, and smiled softly once more. "You answered a question I've been wondering for a long time" he said quietly, then turned his head to face hers with a knowing look. A confused look flitted across chihiro's face. Suddenly a thought struck her. _Does he know how I feel? Is something wrong? He's ok, isn't he?_ _What if he doesn't want to see me again? _Thoughts passed through her mind, in and out, none answering the question foremost in her brain. He was still looking at her, or what felt like looking through her. He must have seen the thoughts rushing around in her head, as he responded to it by gently squeezing her hand.

"Chihiro, you saved my life in more ways than one. You brought me out of the darkness, became the friend I could only hope for, and gave me back my name. You have no idea what you friendship means to me" he said with force behind his words. Upon hearing this last sentence, her heart sank, but he continued.

"When you left, everyone felt it, like a part of themselves were missing. But no one felt it like I did, as empty or lost" He continued to gaze into her eyes. Her heart began to beat more quickly. She gazed into him intently, or what was still left of him. He was turning transparent. "Chihiro, you're like my other half. I… I…" His voice was fading with his body. He couldn't finish, but his sentence didn't need finishing. She let go of his hands, and embraced him. For a moment, he became more tangible; then slowly, he began to fade again. She took a step back, and took his hands in hers. She smiled at him, and he smiled back. The look was in his eyes more strongly and consuming than ever now.

"Go" she said softly. She dropped his right hand, and gestured toward the gate. After a moment, his hand fell through hers. He turned towards the gate, and smiled, a warm, comforting, loving smile. He spoke, but his words came out as wispy and soft as the wind.

"I'll be back soon"

The sun was setting and orange and pink streaked the sky. She remembered back to the setting sun and the colors painted across the sky as the sun set, five years ago on the bridge to the bath-house, where she met Haku for the first time. He did not know her, yet he still warned her to leave, helped her survive the spirit world, and return home.

She walked along the dirt path, lost in her thoughts. Her heart felt light. She had seen the one person she thought she would never see again; her friend, her dearest friend, who had stolen her heart. His eyes drifted into her minds eye. At first she had wondered what it was, lost on all accounts as to the emotion so prominently displayed in those blue-green orbs. She smiled a small, knowing smile. She knew now. It was about her, it was for her.

It was love, pure love.


End file.
